Heat exchanger



y 21, 1957 I A. J. SCHUMANN 2,793,004

' HEAT EXGHANGER Filed May 27, 1955 2 Sheets- Sheet 1 Alex J. Schumann INVENTOR.

May 21, 1957 A, J. SCHUMANN 2,793,004

HEAT EXCHANGER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 27, 1955 2 A w mm: m M 1 4 l w i r i "w v m Q W $3E%W%gk J E: Z: J M5 M M 1;: mm: m m my: m\W\, m if 2 g 5: .M 2 ;///\\W 7////%\\ 2 United States Patent HEAT EXCHANGER Alex J. Schumann, Mankato, Minn, assignor of one-tenth to John H. Brinkman, Mankato, Minn.

Application May 27, 1955, Serial No. 511,474

2 Claims. (Cl. 257-2) This invention relates in general to new and useful im-- provements in heat exchanger systems and more specifically to an air cooling system for houses and the like.

It is a well known fact that the temperature of underground water remains at approximately 50 even in the summer time. Accordingly, it will be readily apparent that when there is provided a convenient underground water supply, this water source of supply may be utilized for the purpose of air cooling houses and the like.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide an improved air conditioning system for houses and the like which is so constructed whereby the cool ground water may be economically utilized as a cooling medium.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved air conditioning system for homes which is of such a nature whereby it may be incorporated in an exist ing hot air furnace system without making any permanent alterations to the furnace whatsoever.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved air conditioning system which utilizes an underground water source, the air conditioning system including a water circulator, the entire system operating under a slight vacuum in order to facilitate the flow of water therethrough.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved system for priming a circulating water air conditioning system whereby the air conditioning system may continuously operate under a slight vacuum, there also being provided means for removing ground gases and the like from the system.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a fragmentary perspective view of a conventional type of hot air furnace with a side thereof removed, there being illustrated the principal components of the present invention which are connected to the furnace by means of a removable housing, only a fragmentary portion of the housing being illustrated;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through the blower portion of the hot air furnace of Figure 1 and shows the general arrangement of air flow therethrough during an air cooling operation; and

Figure 3 is a schematic view of the air conditioning system which is the subject of this invention.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that there is illustrated in Figure 3 an air cooling or air conditioning system which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 10. The air cooling system operates on the principle that there is provided a suitable source of ground water 12 which is disposed a sufficient distance below the level 14 of the ground so as to maintain a constant temperature in the vicinity of 50. There is driven into the ground 16 a first well casing 18 which will be considered a supply casing. The casing 18 is of a suflicient length to penetrate the water supply or water source 12.

A second well casing 20, which will be considered a return casing is driven in the ground 16 remote from the supply casing 18. The casing 20 is driven to a depth for returning water to the water source 12. While both of the casings 18 and 20 have been illustrated as being generally of the same length, it may be desired that the casing 20 and a return pipe carried thereby be shorter than the casing 18 so that the return flow of water may be down through the ground into the water source 12.

The upper end of the supply casing 18 is capped as at 22 and there is connected to the cap 22 a suitable length of piping 24. Connected to the other end of the piping 24 is a pump 26 which is preferably driven by an electric motor 28 although other power sources may be used. Connected to the pump 26 is a short length of piping 30 which terminates in a union 32.

The air conditioning system 10 includes a suitable heat exchanger 34 which may be in the form of an automobile radiator or the like. The heat exchanger 34 includes a lower supply pipe 36 whose opposite end .is connected to the union 32.

The heat exchanger 34 also includes an upper return pipe 38 which is connected by a union 40 to a pipe section 42. The pipe section 42 includes a T-portion 44. Connected to the upper end of the T-portion 44 is a valve 46. A similar valve 48 is connected to the lower end of the T-portion 44. The valves 46 and 48 are shutolt valves.

Connected to the valve 48 and extending downwardly through the return casing 20 is a return line 50. The re turn line 5% is sealed with respect, to the upper end of the return casing 20 by a suitable cap 52.

Connected to the valve 46 and extending upwardly therefrom is a section of piping 54. The section of piping 54 has connected thereto a vacuum pump 56. The vacuum pump 56 may be either connected permanently to the piping 54 or may be temporarily connected thereto for use only when the air conditioning: system 10 is started up, in a manner to be described in more detail hereinafter.

In the operation of the present invention, the system 10 is first started by opening the valves 46 and 48. The vacuum pump 56 is then operated until such time as the water is drawn up in the return pipe 50. At this time, the valve 48 is closed to retain a vacuum within the return pipe 50 and the return casing 20. The vacuum pump 56 is then continued to be operated until water is drawn up through the supply casing 18, through the heat exchanger 34 and out through the piping 42. When this has been accomplished, the valve 46 is closed. The entire operating portion of the system 10 is then under a vacuum which is in the interior of the vacuum gauge 58 carried by the return pipe 38. Because the entire system Ill is under a vacuum, it will be readily apparent that very little power is required to operate the pump 26 and at the same time the pump 26 will move a relatively large volume of water through the heat exchanger 34 to produce a maximum cooling.

All ground waters include gas pockets which may be formed by either entrapped oxygen or other gases. Such gases have a tendency to vapor lock a cooling system 10 and prevent the proper operation of the pump 26. In order to overcome this, there is provided an electrically driven pulsator pump 60. The pulsator pump 60 is communicated with the top part of the heat exchanger 34 by a short length of piping 62. A vent tube 64 also extends from the piping 62 to the pump 26, the vent pipe 64 being connected to the pipe 30 immediately adjacent its connection with the pump 26.

Disposed immediately adjacent the inlet side of the heat exchanger 34 in the path of air to be cooled is a thermostat 66. The thermostat 66 is connected to an electric motor 68 of the pulsator pump 60 by means of wiring 70. Thus when the system 10 becomes partially air locked ,-"the thermostat 66 will cause operation of the pulsator pump 60 to remove all excess air from the system 10.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 in particular, it will be seen that there is illustrated a conventional type of hot air furnace which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 72. The hot air furnace 72 includes an-outer jacket 74 to which there is connected a return air duct 76 and a hot air duct 78. Mounted within the jacket 74 is'a suitable heating unit 80. The heating unit is separated from a blower chamber by a vertical partition;82. Disposed in the lower part of the blower chamber is an electrically driven blower 84. Disposed above the blower 84 for entrapping dust and the like is a suitable filter 86.

The jacket 74 includes a side wall (not shown) in which there is provided a suitable inspection opening (not shown) for permitting access to the blower 84. This inspection opening is normallyprovided with a door (not shown). All of these parts are conventional and need not be illustrated.

When it is desired to adapt the hot air furnace 72 for air conditioning a house during the summertime, the above mentioned door is removed and there is inserted within the opening suitable panels to form a housing which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 88. The housing 88 is of a knocked-down type so that it may be readily removed and stored during the wintertime. The heat exchanger 34 is suitably mounted within the housing in the central portion thereof, as is best illustratedin Figure 2. Extending upwardly from the outer part of the heat exchanger 34 and into the jacket 74 is a removable partition 90. The partition 90 overlies the filter 86 and prevents the flow of air down through the filter 86 to the blower 84.

, a As is best illustrated in Figure 2, the arrangement of the housing 88 and the partition 90 is such that air returning into the jacket 74 through the return air duct 76 passes over the partition wall 90 and down into the housing 88. This air then passes through the heat exchanger 34 wherein it is conveniently cooled before passing into the blower 84. The cooled air is then forced upwardly over the heating unit 80, which is now inoperative, and up through the hot air duct 78 which now functions as a cool air duct.

, The entire air conditioning system 10 is so constructed whereby it may be disconnected at the unions 32 and 40 and those parts thereof between the unions and the housing 88 together wi'th'the partition wall 90 may be conveniently stored during the winter.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explauation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. An air cooling system for use in conjunction with an underground water source, said cooling system comprising a first well casing forming a supply casing, a second well casing forming a return casing, a circulating pump connected to said supply casing for drawing water therethrough, an air cooling heat exchanger, first piping connecting said heat exchanger to said pump, second piping connecting said heat exchanger to said return casing, said heat exchanger having an upper part, means connected to said upper part for removing excess air from said system, said means including a pulsator pump, said heat exchanger having an air inlet side, a thermostat mounted, adjacent said inlet side for actuation by air to be cooled, means electrically connecting said thermostat to said pulsator pump for controlling the operation of said pulsator pump.

. 2. An air cooling system for use in conjunction with an underground water source, said cooling system comprising a first well casing forming a supply casing, a second well casing forming a return casing, a circulating pump connected to said supply casing for drawing water therethrough, an air cooling heat exchanger, first piping connecting said heat exchanger to said pump, second piping connecting said heat exchanger to said return casing, vacuum producing means connected to certain of said piping for initially placing all parts of said system under a vacuum, said heat exchanger having an upper part, means connected to said upper part for removing excess air from said system, said means including a pulsator pump, said heat exchanger having an air inlet side, a thermostat mounted adjacent said inlet side for actuation by air to be cooled, means electrically connecting said thermostat to said pulsator pump for controlling the operation of said pulsator pump.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,573,93l Goyne Feb. 23, 1926 2,165,854 Headrick July 11, 1939 2,374,208 Jones Apr. 24, 1945 2,675,762 Share Apr. 20, 1954 

